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Keeping it simple, but cozy today with this One Pot Broccoli Cheddar and Dumplings. Taking two classics…broccoli cheddar soup, and creamy dumpling soup, and combining them into one. It’s the best of both soups! A creamy broccoli cheddar soup base topped with light and airy dumplings that make every bite so delicious. This is a cozy recipe that’s one pot and done, perfect for all the cool fall nights ahead.
Now that we’ve officially, officially entered into autumn, I’m breaking out all the coziest, warming recipes. I love spring and summer meals, I do. BUT I think we all know by now that fall is my season. Kind of cheesy, but that’s the truth. My fall recipes are my most favorite!
As we move into cooler days I wanted to be sure to give you guys a good mix of hearty yet light recipes. I want there to be something for everyone, whatever mood you might happen to be in. I don’t know about you guys, but my mood (and the weather) always affect what I end up craving for dinner. If it’s a bright sunny autumn day, I might make something a little lighter, like my go-to fall harvest roasted butternut squash salad. But if it’s cold and dreary out, I head to the slow cooker dinners or easy, warming soups.
And that’s where I’m at today. These moodier days with cooler temps have left me craving that first bowl of autumn soup. Enter this one pot broccoli cheddar and dumplings recipe. It’s soup, but then there are dumplings too…and it’s every bit as delicious as it sounds.
The History.
We all know the story…me reminiscing on my love for Panera’s broccoli-cheddar soup on fall days back in Cleveland. Year after year I’ve shared countless recipes inspired by that favorite soup. There has been my go-to pumpkin beer broccoli cheddar soup, the lighter broccoli cheddar and zucchini soup, broccoli cheddar chicken and rice casserole, and even a broccoli cheddar cobbler (which isn’t the prettiest but trust me, it’s good).
All of which are some of my very favorite recipes.
And then there are today’s dumplings. Well, my love for this recipe runs deep. It’s the absolute coziest, and it’s a combination of two of my favorite fall recipes, cheesy broccoli soup and creamy, herby dumplings (that melt in your mouth and are just delicious).
The quick and easy details.
The recipe starts out a lot like your classic broccoli cheddar recipe. Cook up some onions, add carrots, celery, and plenty of fresh thyme. Now add in a good amount of vegetable broth and lots of broccoli. Let the soup simmer until the broccoli becomes tender, which isn’t very long. Once the broccoli is tender, I like to puree it to get some of the soup creamy, but still leave chunks of broccoli throughout.
The one thing I left out of this recipe is the chicken. I wanted this to be all about the broccoli soup and the dumplings. But if you’d like to add chicken, I actually have a recipe for that here.
While the soup is simmering away, make the dumplings, which are kind of the star. Oh these dumplings, they’re so delicious and extra special. Light, airy, and a little cheesy too.
In the past, I’ve found dumplings to be a tad bland, so I decided to bump up the flavor with the addition of fresh sage (which is my favorite autumn herb), buttermilk, and a little bit of parmesan cheese. The addition of fresh sage adds a warmth to each dumpling that’s truly delicious.
The dumplings get cooked directly in the soup, making this a one pot and done kind of recipe. This is a quick-cooking autumn dinner that everyone will love. You could even use it for holiday entertaining…which yes, I am already thinking ahead to. I’m excited for this year’s holiday season, it’s feeling like it will be an extra special one!
I’ve yet to meet anyone who hasn’t loved a bowl full of this soup. It’s warm, cozy, and perfect for eating while snuggled up on the couch, wrapped in a cozy blanket watching your favorite Halloween movie.
It truly does not get better. Happy fall guys! ? ?
Looking for other cozy autumn recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Butternut Squash and Brie Soup with Crispy Pancetta
Lemony Garlic Chicken and Orzo Soup
Flaky Broccoli Cheddar Soup Mini Pies
One Skillet Cheesy Broccoli Cheddar Orzo Bake
Lastly, if you make this, Herbed Ricotta Stuffed Chicken In White Wine Pan Sauce with Mashed Cauliflower be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Broccoli Cheddar and Dumplings.
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 1295 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1 sweet onion, chopped
- 3 carrots, chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme
- kosher salt and black pepper
- 6-7 cups low sodium vegetable broth
- 3 cups fresh or frozen broccoli florets
- 2 bay leaves
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Instructions
- 1. Heat the olive oil and butter together in a large soup pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and cook 3-5 minutes. Add the carrots and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook another 5 minutes. 3. Pour in the broth. Add the broccoli, bay leaves, nutmeg, and cayenne, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the broccoli is tender. 4. Meanwhile, make the dumplings. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Add the buttermilk, parmesan cheese, and sage, mixing until just combined.5. Remove the bay leaves from the soup. Transfer 3/4 of the soup to a blender and blend until the broccoli is finely chopped. Return the soup to the pot and bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat. Drop a heaping tablespoon of the dough into the soup, adding about 6 dumplings to the soup at a time. Cover, and cook for about 8-10 minutes, until the dumplings are cooked through and puffy. 6. Carefully move the dumplings aside, or if easier, remove dumpling from the soup, and stir in the milk and cheddar cheese, cooking until melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.7. Ladle the soup and dumplings into bowls and serve topped with pepper. Enjoy!
Could you make the dumpling dough ahead of time and then bring to room temp before adding dough to soup?
Hi Allie,
Sure, I don’t see why that wouldn’t work for you. Please let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Can you make this in advance and do the dumplings when reheating?
Hi Shannon! Yes, you could absolutely do that! 🙂 xT
Hi! I plan on making this tmw but quick question, how could this be 1300 calories per serving?
Hi Alex,
I always recommend that if the nutritional information is important to you, you use your own personal calculator. Ours is automatic and controlled by google. It’s not something we’d prefer to be using. We are required to. I’m sorry for the trouble, we do our best! Hope you enjoy the recipe! xT
This is delicious. I’ve made it a few times and it’s a big hit, even with my 4-y/o. I’ve always made it in a medium soup pot – tonight was the first time I did it in an actual large soup pot as called for, and I strongly suggest you do it in a smaller pot. You want something significantly taller than it is wide. The soup cooks for a long time at a boil after you put the broth in: 15 mins, then 20 mins for the two sets of dumplings. Even covered, you lose a lot of liquid, and everything starts burning on the bottom of the pot. I had to add three cups of water, and there wasn’t really enough liquid to poach the dumplings. It still came out, but it’s worked much better for me in a narrower, deeper pot. Great recipe, though. Lots of depth of flavor and love the dumpling texture.
Hey Erin,
Happy Monday!! Thanks a lot for making this recipe so often and your feedback! Love to hear it always turns out well! xT
Can I sub almond flour for regular ?
Hi Nikki,
So sorry, I don’t think almond flour is going to be the best option here! Let me know if you give this recipe a try, I hope you love it! xx
I questioned this about half way through the dumpling process but I kept going and boy was it worth it!! The whole thing was great – a great broccoli cheddar soup and dumplings so soft and flavorful! My husband loved it and so did I. This will be made again in my house for sure!
Hey Kristen,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
Could you put the dumplings in after adding the milk and cheese, so you don’t have to take the dumplings out?
Hi Heidi,
I won’t, they are going to cook better in the broth before the milk and cheese is added:) Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Hi Tieghan,
I wanted to make this and was wondering what I could use instead of the buttermilk?
Thanks
Vickie
Hey Vickie,
How about just using whole milk? That will work well for you! Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xT